1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system which is provided with a camera and a microphone and transmits/receives image data and voice (sound) data of the users to/from another information processing system through a transmission line.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known information processing systems for transmitting and receiving image data and voice data via a communication line using, as terminals, information processing systems provided with a camera and a microphone, such as communication using videophones or computers.
With these information processing systems, not only voice can be transmitted, but the conversing parties can also talk while looking at each other""s face expression, and further images such as characters or photographs can also be transmitted, and it is therefore possible to transmit and receive a larger volume of data than with voice only, and thus detailed and profound conversations can be held.
With these information processing systems, image data of both of the communicating parties are transmitted, regardless of the intention of the conversing parties. Thus, before the parties involved in the communication communicate with each other, it is often necessary to perform operations which are not necessary for the transmission, such as arranging one""s appearance and tidying the surroundings.
Simplicity of transmission is therefore lost. Further, there is a deficiency in terms of maintaining the privacy of the receiving party since, in comparison with the calling party who has, in advance, been intending to have a conversation, the receiving party may not have made sufficient preparation for the conversation.
In other words, with conventional data communication involving voice and images, the appearance of the users is transmitted directly as image data to the other party, and therefore if it is necessary to communicate when the receiving party of the communication does not wish to do so, the receiving party is subjected to psychological anguish.
If the receiving party is compelled, having just woken up, to communicate using an information processing system provided with a camera and a microphone, that is, if, clothes, hair or make-up, the surroundings and the like are in disarray, such that the receiving party would be impolite to the other party to appear, or if the receiving party were extremely tired and the expression was likely to become gloomy, the receiving party would be forced to refuse to send to the other party the image data of the receiving party, which had been taken by the camera, and thus to refuse to transmit image data.
Thus to protect the minimal privacy of the receiving party of the communication, transmission of image data is stopped and communication of only voice data is performed. Therefore the services using information communication of image and voice are not effectively utilized.
Further, if there is a sudden need for the calling party to transmit information, then even the receiving party may decide to refrain from effecting communication that is accompanied by the transmission of images, unless the receiving party has arranged so as not to appear impolite to the other party, and tidied the surroundings, and thus in the end there is a likelihood that the matter will be dealt with using a normal voice-only telephone or a facsimile.
The object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system whereby, when image data and voice data are being transmitted and received using an information processing system provided with a camera and a microphone, conversation is possible using images and voice (sound) without the transmission of image data which the transmitting party does not wish to be transmitted.
In order to solve the above problem, one of the main inventions disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining image data of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice (sound) data of the user, means for image-processing the image data, to obtain different image data in portions other than a face of the user, and means for transmitting the image-processed image data and the obtained voice data to the another information processing system. In the construction, portions other than the face correspond to the background, clothes, hair, portions below the neck and the like.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is An information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for changing the one image data for another image data or synthesizing the one image data with another image data, and means for transmitting the changed or synthesized image data and the voice data to the another information processing system.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the synthesizing image data and the voice data to the another information processing system.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of a face of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for detecting a degree of tiredness of the user by image-processing the stored one image data, and changing the stored one image data for synthesizing image data in accordance with the degree of tiredness of the user, wherein the synthesizing image data is obtained by synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the voice data and one of the stored one image data and the synthesizing image data to the another information processing system.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of a face of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for detecting a degree of tiredness of the user by image-processing the stored one image data and changing the stored one image data for synthesizing image data in accordance with the degree of tiredness of the user, wherein the synthesizing image data is obtained by synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the voice data and one of the stored one image data and the synthesizing image data to the another information processing system, wherein the degree of tiredness of the user is obtained by measuring the number of blinks of the user per unit time in accordance with the one image data, and comparing the number of the blinks of the user with a reference blink value representing the reference number of blinks of the user per unit time, measured in advance.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of a face of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for detecting a degree of tiredness of the user by image-processing the stored one image data, and changing the stored one image data for synthesizing image data in accordance with the degree of tiredness of the user, wherein the synthesizing image data is obtained by synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the voice data and one of the stored one image dada and the synthesizing image data to the another information processing system, wherein the degree of tiredness of the user is obtained by measuring the number of blinks of the user per unit time and identifying the user in accordance with the one image data, referring to a reference blink value of the user in accordance with the identification, and comparing the number of the blinks of the user with the reference blink value of the user, the reference blink value representing the reference number of blinks of the user per unit time, measured in advance.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of a face of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for detecting a degree of tiredness of the user by image-processing the stored one image data, and changing the stored one image data for synthesizing image data in accordance with the degree of tiredness of the user, wherein the synthesizing image data is obtained by synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the voice data and one of the stored one image data and the synthesizing image data to the another information processing system, wherein the degree of tiredness of the user is obtained by measuring the number of blinks of the user per unit time and identifying the user with an ID number, referring to a reference blink value of the user in accordance with the identification, and comparing the number of the blinks of the user with the reference blink value of the user, the reference blink value representing the reference number of blinks of the user per unit time, measured in advance.
To elaborate, one of the important inventions disclosed by the present specification is an information processing system (for example, a personal computer or videophone connected to a transmission line) provided with a camera and a microphone, wherein the number of blinks of the user is obtained from image data taken in by the camera, and the degree of tiredness of the user is estimated by calculating the number of blinks per unit time using an internal timing circuit; if this exceeds a certain fixed value, the actual image data of the user are not transmitted but image data which are a combination of the movement of the mouth of the user with image data which have been taken and stored in advance are transmitted.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of a face of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for detecting a degree of tiredness of the user by image-processing the stored one image data, and changing the stored one image data for synthesizing image data in accordance with the degree of tiredness of the user, wherein the synthesizing image data is obtained by synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the voice data and one of the stored one image data and the synthesizing image data to the another information processing system, wherein the degree of tiredness of the user is obtained by measuring a bloodshot degree of eyeballs of the user in accordance with the one image data.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of a face of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for detecting a degree of tiredness of the user by image-processing the stored one image data, and changing the stored one image data for synthesizing image data in accordance with the degree of tiredness of the user, wherein the synthesizing image data is obtained by synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the voice data and one of the stored one image data and the synthesizing image data to the another information processing system, wherein the degree of tiredness of the user is obtained by measuring a current bloodshot degree of eyeballs of the user and identifying the user in accordance with the one image data, referring to reference image data having a reference bloodshot degree in accordance with the identification, and comparing the current bloodshot degree of the eyeballs of the user with the reference bloodshot degree.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining one image data representing an expression of a face of the user and another image data representing a movement of a mouth of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing the one image data in advance, means for detecting a degree of tiredness of the user by image-processing the stored one image data, and changing the stored one image data for synthesizing image data in accordance with the degree of tiredness of the user, wherein the synthesizing image data is obtained by synthesizing the stored one image data with the another image data, and means for transmitting the voice data and one of the stored one image data and the synthesizing image data to the another information processing system wherein the degree of tiredness of the user is obtained by measuring a current bloodshot degree of eyeballs of the user and identifying the user with an ID number, referring to reference image data having a reference bloodshot degree in accordance with the identification, and comparing the current bloodshot degree of the eyeballs of the user with the reference bloodshot degree.
In other words, one of the important inventions disclosed in the present specification is an information Processing system provided with a camera and a microphone, wherein the degree of tiredness of the user is estimated by obtaining the bloodshot degree of the eyeballs of the user from image data taken in by the camera, and wherein if this exceeds a certain fixed value, the actual image data of the user are not transmitted but image data which are a combination of the movement of the mouth of the user and image data which have been taken and stored in advance are transmitted.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising a camera for obtaining image data of the user including background data, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing desired background data, means for changing the background data for the desired background data by image processing, and means for transmitting the image-processed image data and the voice data to the another information processing system.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining image data including a face of the user, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for making up the face of the user included in the image data by image processing, and means for transmitting the image-processed image data and the voice data to the another information processing system.
Further, one important construction disclosed in the present specification is an information processing system for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission line, the system comprising, a camera for obtaining image data of the user including face data and background data, a microphone for obtaining voice data of the user, means for storing desired background data, means for making up the face data of the image data and changing the background data for the desired background data by image processing, and means for transmitting the image-processed image data and the voice data to the another information processing system.
In other words, another important invention disclosed by the present specification is an image processing system provided with a camera and a microphone, wherein the background is changed arbitrarily by the selection of the user, and the image data of the background of the user which is to be transmitted to another information processing system is changed.